A typical prior art connector, with female terminal 3 only partially inserted into housing 1, is shown in FIG. 9. Housing 1 is adapted to fit inside of hood 5 which is attached to--or part of--the male housing (not shown). Retainer 2 carries a projection which bears against bevel 6 on the end face of hood 5. Lance 4, which serves to lock terminal 3 in position after it has been fully inserted in the cavity is affixed to--or integral with--housing 1. As shown in FIG. 9, it is not yet operative, since female terminal 3 has not been fully inserted into housing 1.
However, since the leading edge of hood 5 is provided with bevel 6, the Application of substantial insertion force will cause hood 5 to distort outwardly and permit housing 1 to fully enter hood 5, even though female terminal 3 has not been properly inserted into the cavity. This makes it very difficult or even impossible to determine, after assembly, whether terminal 3 is in its proper position. Moreover, since there are, as shown in FIG. 10, a plurality of cavities 7 (each containing terminal 3), it is possible that some terminals 3 will have been properly inserted, while one or more others are in the position shown in FIG. 9.
In FIG. 10, the female terminal in cavity 7 is incompletely inserted. As can be seen from the Figure, the left side of retainer 2 is fully inserted into housing 1, while the right side projects somewhat therefrom. Insertion pressure on housing 1 will cause it to distort hood 5 and enter completely therein. However, terminal 3 in cavity 7 will not make a proper electrical connection with the mating connector and, therefore, the assembly is defective. This cannot be determined by observation.